We're back to Terror Tales of the Scottish Lowlands, and the (to me) nearby town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Berwick has a very bloody history, complete with one massacre during which the river supposedly ran red with the blood of the innocent. Things have quietened down a bit lately but as this story shows, the past is seldom far away.
Bella is a young woman who likes knitting and works a cash register. She is put-upon by overbearing people, including her grandma, and a nasty old woman who pesters her at work in a shop. She is also oppressed by disturbing visions of the past, when Edward I (Longshanks) put a Scottish noblewoman in a cage outside the town walls of Berwick. Her crime? Presiding at the coronation of Robert the Bruce.
The brutality of medieval times is juxtaposed with the commonplace nastiness of modern life to good effect. This story has a nice, pulpy feel, with the revelation that a medieval witch and warlock have their counterparts in modern Berwick. No more spoilers, just a satisfying denouement, in which Bella escapes the terrors of the past - or does she?
Another fine selection by editor Paul Finch. Sorry I'm not blogging reviews as fast as I should, I'll try to get my next post in a bit quicker.
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